


Strangers In The Night

by Cloud Walker (FassTDriver)



Series: Fluffly Reylo/Reyben AU [5]
Category: Reylo - Fandom, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Fluffier Than Cotton Candy, Fluffyfest, One Shot, Sad, Sweet, did I mention is fluffy?, fluffer fluffy fluffitty fluffness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-11-07 20:40:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20823476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FassTDriver/pseuds/Cloud%20Walker
Summary: Two Strangers. Two loners. A casual encounter and an eternal love story





	Strangers In The Night

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my dear beta Nancylovesreylo for all the great pointers!!

**Night one**

_ ♫♪Strangers in the night _

_ Exchanging glances♫♪ _

  


His life had been the same for quite some time now. Go to work. Come back to his apartment. Have dinner. Go to bed. Get up the next day. The only thing that changed was that sometimes he slept, but most of the time he didn’t. His life was just routine. Extremely boring. And he liked it that way. 

He’d had some rough moments in his life, in fact, most of them were rough. But lately, he had felt the need to hold on to the things that were constant, and that’s why he held on to his memories and his routine more than ever before. His father had died not long ago and his heart was still aching, he knew it had been broken and that it would stay that way forever. 

He never had a great relationship with Han, his dad, even if they were more alike than either of them dared to admit. But at least in the last minutes, they were together, looking in each other’s eyes, breathing the same air. 

Ben could still feel his father’s body in his arms, he still remembered how he slowly took the last breath, how peaceful it was, and how lucky he was to be able to say what needed to be said before it was too late. 

It was an incredibly sad moment, but also one of the most beautiful ones in Ben’s life. He hardly shared that with anyone, not only because it was private, but also because Ben feared no one would understand. There was beauty in death, Ben thought, not only sadness. 

When Han died he felt half of his heart had died, but then he also felt like he had never been closer to anyone, than he was right then. It was the pinnacle of love, to share the very last moment on earth with someone, Ben thought. But he kept that to himself, as he did with most things. 

Ben was a quiet man, he liked his life simple, quiet and as problem free as possible. And now, the other half of his heart, the only part left, had died too. He was on his way from the hospital, to his mother’s house, to pick up everything he needed. She too had died in his arms, peacefully, finally finding the way to free her soul from an ill body. 

He held his mother tight in death as she had held him tight when he was born. “I love you,” she whispered. “I love you too,” he responded with his soft, deep voice. “Don’t worry, you won’t be alone,” she promised. 

He gave her a smile, not wanting to refute his mother’s words, but knowing in his heart that, from that night on, he was all alone in the world. So there he was, sitting quietly as the train moved through the night. 

He looked down to the little gold chain in his hand. From the chain hung a golden pendant in the shape of half a yin yang symbol. It was his mother’s. His father had the other half but he had lost it a long time ago in one of his crazy adventures. Ben could still remember how mad Leia had been. 

He couldn’t help but to smile remembering how his parents used to bicker about most things, but those arguments always ended with Han apologizing and Leia forgiving him. They loved each other immensely, Ben was sure. If only he had someone who loved him madly and whom he could love in return. 

Ben was perhaps a simple man, but his capacity to love unconditionally, and devote his life to that one person, was oceans deep. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice someone else had entered the train car and taken a seat a few seats away from him. 

He saved the little chain in his jacket’s pocket. As if an unknown force compelled him, Ben looked up and fixed his eyes on the girl sitting in front of him, a few seats away. The girl had been looking at him for a while now, and when their eyes met she smiled sweetly. Ben looked at her and felt as if he had been struck by lightning. 

She was still smiling at him, but he couldn’t smile back. Sure, she was lovely but he still had the boiling fire of pain and loss burning in his chest. She tilted her head without breaking eye contact with him. The both of them silent, calm, simply glancing at each other. 

The girl looked at him curiously, Ben looked at her with sadness, and from his eyes a single tear fell. The girl moved as if to say something, but Ben got off the train before she could speak. She got off the train too and watched as Ben’s tall figure disappeared into the night. 

  
  
  
  


**Night two**

  
  


_ ♫♪Something in your eyes _

_ Was so inviting _

_ Something in your smile _

_ Was so exciting♫♪ _

  
  


The funeral had been as he planned. Leia had many friends and they all paid their respects to her. But in spite of that, it was a lonely moment for Ben. As lonely as his life was going to be from now on, he feared. So he was back on the train, going back to his apartment. And then he felt it. A powerful force, a pull to the light. 

She was looking at him with a smile on her face. He had thought about her every minute since he had seen her just last night on this very same train. She was so beautiful, and she looked so sweet, so bright. She shone like the sun. And then he felt it. He had buried a part of his heart a while ago, and the other part just a few hours earlier. And yet… there it was. His heart was trying to come back to life. 

But, could that be possible? He had envisioned his future as lonely. A future only filled with silence and solitude. Yet here he was, wondering why his heart was beating faster than ever just because a beautiful girl was still smiling at him. He took a chance and smiled back sweetly. His heart leapt when she got up and came to sit by his side.

  
  


_ ♫♪Something in my heart told me I must have you _

_ Strangers in the night, two lonely people _

_ We were strangers in the night _

_ Up to the moment when we said our first hello♫♪ _

  
  


“Hello,” she said, her voice kind and cheerful. 

He couldn’t even breathe. She was a vision, a goddess, and he was in awe. He remained silent while admiring her. She cleared her throat feeling a bit uncomfortable.

“Hello,” she repeated in a stronger tone. 

“Hello,” he said, snapping out of his enchantment.

“Are you ok?” she asked politely. 

“Yes, I am,” he said softly. 

“My name is Rey,” she said while extending a small hand to him. Ben took the hand, trying not to tremble when her soft skin touched his 

“I’m Ben.”

“Yesterday you looked so sad that I was worried. But you left before I could say anything.”

Ben’s cheeks turned bright red.

“I’m sorry, I’m not good when it comes to socializing.” 

She smiled again and Ben couldn’t believe this sweet and beautiful girl was talking to him. Granted, there was no one else in the train at that moment, but still. He looked into her eyes again, they were gorgeous. She was gorgeous. He managed somehow to put two words together.

“Are you from around here?” 

“No, I just got out of work.” And before he could ask again, she said, “I work for Kanata Enterprises.”

“Working late?” Ben asked looking at his watch.

“Yup!” she exclaimed happily. “Do I look that tired?” she asked with a giggle. 

“No, you look gorgeous,” he said before he could register what he had said.

She smiled even wider and her brow rose in surprise. 

“No, I mean…” he stuttered and then took a deep breath. “I meant that you don’t look ti…” 

“You are gorgeous too Ben,” she said. “Sorry I must go now,” she chimed while she got up and turned to the door. 

“Will you be working late tomorrow too?” Ben asked, possessed by an urgency he couldn’t explain. 

She turned to face him again and with a cheeky smile she said, “Yes, I think I will.”

  
  
  


**Nights three to nine**

  


She did work late that night, and many other nights. And during all those nights she ran into Ben on the train without fail. She didn’t know if Ben also worked every night or… could it be possible that he just got on the train late at night to talk to her? No, surely not. A handsome, sexy and kind man like him surely had better things to do than wait for the 10.30 PM train to talk to a simple girl like her. 

Sure, they had talked every night for nine nights straight and had discovered they had many things in common, and only few differences,the biggest one being that Rey was actually capable of making friends. She had four that she loved as her siblings: Rose, Paige, Finn and Poe. They had also discovered they felt good around each other. In fact, they felt great around each other. 

Ben had opened up to her like, he claimed, he had never done with anyone else. They found out they were both alone in the world, both took refuge in their jobs, and both hoped for quiet lives filled with love. Yes it was strange but they had talked about love. The only thing they hadn’t say was that they both hoped the other was that love. 

During the ninth night, Rey hopped in the train and went straight to him. She had been waiting for this moment all day. Ben was in the same seat as always. She liked to think of it as ‘their seat’. She just sat next to him and after a quick “Hi!” she pressed a kiss to his cheek. It was the first time she kissed him that way and Ben went tomato red in a matter of seconds. She laughed. How did he manage to be this cute every time? She was mesmerized. She knew then and there. But she needed to know if he felt the same. 

Luckily her job had given her the perfect plan. They talked during the ride as they always did and by the time her stop was near she said: 

“So… I won’t be taking the train tomorrow.” 

He sat up straight looking half worried, half heartbroken, and she took that as a great sign. “Why?” he asked with a sad tone.

“Well, tomorrow night is Kanata Enterprises’ Annual Ball and I’m expected to attend.” 

“Oh,” he said lowering his gaze and fixing his eyes on his entwined hands that moved nervously on his lap. “Well, have fun then.”

“See… the thing is.... I don’t have a date,” she said carefully looking at him.

He lifted his face and looked into her dark eyes

“So…” she continued “I was hoping you could come with me. What do you think?” she waited for his answer with her heart drumming and her neck vein about to explode. 

He looked dumbfounded. But he said softly “Ok,” and that simple word made her the happiest person on earth. 

“Ok. Tomorrow, 9 PM at the Convention Center. Meet you there. It’s black tie, don’t forget!” She almost shouted the last part as she was getting off the train. 

Ben watched her disappear into the night with a smile on his face. 

  
  


**Tenth night**

  
  


_ ♫♪ Little did we know _

_ Love was just a glance away, a warm embracing dance away ♫♪ _

  
  


Ben was waiting outside. He kept pacing back and forth with his expensive tweed coat in his arm. It was quite a cold night but he took it off when he started to sweat. He wasn’t hot, he was freaking out, hence the sweating. 

He looked at his watch. 9.10 PM. He felt stupid. There he was, in a Hugo Boss tux, looking like a wedding cake doll, waiting for a girl that surely was tired of him and, not knowing how to let him down easy, had come up with a fake date and now she wasn’t going to show up. And he had fallen for it. He turned to leave and then he saw her. 

She was a vision standing at the end of the staircase leading up to the Center's entrance, looking at him and smiling. She was wearing a red mermaid-tail dress that hugged her curves and seemed to be made by the gods. Her hair was up with a few curls framing her face. Bold red lips. A sophisticated clutch in her hand and a capelet that protected her from the cold and gave her this air of glamour like the queen she was. 

How long had she been there looking at him being a fool? Was she even looking at him at all? Only then he realised his jaw had dropped almost to the floor. He snapped out of his enchantment and walked down the few stairs to greet her. 

“You look so beautiful! You look like a queen,” he said gallantly.

“You look like a Disney prince,” she said with a giggle. “A nervous prince,” she added. 

“Oh… you saw that?” He sounded like a boy getting caught looking at dirty magazines. 

“I did. I’ve been watching you for several minutes.”

“Oh! really?” he was genuinely surprised. “And?” 

“And you are the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen,” she said seriously. 

He swallowed the lump in his throat. “Let’s go. I want to be the envy of every man in there,” he said, offering his arm to her. 

Ben wasn’t comfortable in social situations but he tried his best. He didn’t want to embarrass her. She noticed he was having a hard time chit chatting with strangers so she tried to rescue him.

“Let’s dance,” she said while holding his hand to lead him to the dance floor. Thankfully it seemed as if the DJ decided to take pity on his poor non-dancing soul, and changed the fast-paced song he was playing to a romantic old tune Ben was really familiar with. He grabbed her by the waist with one hand and held her hand in his. They began to sway softly. 

“This was my mom and dad’s favorite song,” he whispered in her ear. They both felt the shiver as they moved closer and closer. Their bodies had no control. Once they held each other close, they couldn’t stop. And it was there, in the middle of the dance floor, that they found each other’s lips.

Softly but deeply their mouths danced. It was as if they were always meant to be. They needed no words, just a kiss to know their lives would never be the same again. 

“Come with me,” he said over her lips, still catching his breath after the kiss. 

“Where?”

“To my apartment,” he said firmly, hoping she would say yes. And she didn’t disappoint. 

They walked to the apartment, holding each other tightly. Once in his home he looked her in the eye and after kissing her passionately he said, “Rey, I know it’s a bit sudden, but I’m not playing. I want something serious with you. I…” 

“I love you too Ben,” she said, and pulling him toward her she kissed him deeply, while he carried her in his arms to the bedroom. 

Later that night, while Rey slept peacefully in his arms, he looked out the window and saw a shooting star. He smiled. His mom had kept her promise. He would never be alone.

  
  


_ ♫♪ Ever since that night _

_ We've been together _

_ Lovers at first sight _

_ In love forever _

_ It turned out so right _

_ For strangers in the night. ♫♪ _

**Author's Note:**

> Here's the link to the song in case you haven't hear it yet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5h_EW4odWw
> 
> And this is my Twitter account! https://twitter.com/Adamsduck


End file.
